Chapter 30

The old woman walked over again, noticing a crowd gathered, their eyelids twitching nervously. Striding swiftly forward, she caught sight of Xue Daniu’s condition. Ignoring everything else, fearing he might bite his tongue, she forcefully pried his mouth open and made him bite down.

After quite some time, Xue Daniu finally calmed down.

The old woman glanced back at Jiang Li and the others, then looked at Xue Daniu before her, her eyes reddening. Without a word, she silently carried Xue Daniu back inside.

Usually, the old woman was the fiercest of all, but now, so quiet and subdued, everyone was left bewildered.

After Xue Daniu was carried inside, Xue Chengwen, who was working on the gate in the yard, looked up and calmly asked, “What happened to Daniu?”

The old woman said nothing, carrying Xue Daniu into the house.

As soon as she opened the door, Liu Chunhua’s loud voice rang out, “Daniu, how is he? What are they cooking?”

Without a word, the old woman placed Xue Daniu on the bed, then viciously grabbed Liu Chunhua by the hair and slapped her twice.

“You foolish woman! Always idle. If anything happened to Daniu, I’d chop you to pieces!”

Only then did Liu Chunhua check on Xue Daniu. His body was limp, but feeling for his breath, she finally relaxed.

“What happened to Daniu?”

The old woman had already left. It was then that Xue Erya told Liu Chunhua, “Mother, just now, big brother suddenly collapsed, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.”

“Epilepsy? Who upset him?”

Xue Erya shook her head.

“No one—he just saw Xue Man’s family cooking meat.”

Liu Chunhua suddenly understood why the old woman had struck her—Daniu must have been furious.

Leaving the yard, the old woman went inside to fetch some copper coins and called Xue Lao San out.

“You’re going to town—cut a pound of meat and bring it back. It must be the kind with both lean and fat.”

Xue Lao San, still confused, asked in surprise, “Is there a special occasion today? Cutting meat to eat?”

“Are you going or not?”

Quickly taking the money, Xue Lao San replied, “I’m going, I’m going!”

Zhao Jiaxiu and Xue Chengwen exchanged a glance but said nothing, returning to their work.

As for Xue Daniu’s condition, Jiang Li was busy and completely unaware.

Grandma Zhao finished frying the meat and set it aside to steam. The mingling aroma of pickled vegetables and meat was so enticing it made mouths water, yet it wasn’t overwhelming. Just the scent alone made one feel capable of eating three large bowls of rice.

Because there were many people, the two large bowls of meat weren’t enough. Jiang Li prepared half a large pot of plantain grass, chopped and cooked, stirring in four eggs, making a dish resembling half a pot of steamed egg custard. She cracked in two small wild garlic bulbs, releasing a fresh fragrance that whetted everyone’s appetite.

As the food neared completion, it was nearly lunchtime.

Grandma Zhao called out, “After this round, everyone wash your hands and come eat.”

Jiang Li didn’t have enough bowls for everyone. Nowadays, when attending banquets, people brought their own bowls and chopsticks. Hearing Grandma Zhao’s call, everyone hurriedly finished their tasks, went home to wash up, and brought their bowls and chopsticks over. The scent of meat had already whetted their appetites, their stomachs growling, which made them work harder.

Everyone moved quickly. The household was poor; there wasn’t even a table.

Jiang Li laid down some rice straw and thatch to create a clean patch of ground, placing the food on it.

Looking at those two heaping bowls of meat, so fragrant and inviting, everyone swallowed hard.

Who cared whether they sat or squatted to eat?

Grandma Zhao brought over the steamer and added more rice for everyone, smiling, “Madam Jiang has prepared meat and rice for everyone, and she even bought pig liver and intestines. More hearty dishes will come later. Everyone, make sure you help her build this house beautifully.”

At her words, everyone’s eyes lit up. This meant more than just this meal—pig liver and intestines were meat too.

They all replied earnestly, “Madam, you flatter us. We’re not the kind to cheat or shirk work.”

Grandma Zhao chuckled, “If you were, I wouldn’t invite you.”

Jiang Li came out of the house after covering the clay pot. Grandma Zhao had finished speaking. Not one for empty pleasantries, Jiang Li simply invited everyone to start eating.

Everyone ate heartily, as if it were a New Year feast.

The steamed meat, with just the right balance of fat and lean, was sliced into large pieces by Grandma Zhao. Each person ate two full slices, along with plenty of rice.

They all ate until full, then rested.

Even the wild vegetable and egg soup was completely finished—no drop left.

After such a satisfying meal, everyone worked with renewed vigor.

Jiang Li joined in carrying yellow clay, while Zhao Qingzhu helped fetch water.

With materials almost ready, Jiang Li used wood ash to mark lines and explained to Zhao Qingzhu’s elder brother the layout she wanted: three rooms, each with a separate bedroom.

The kitchen and bathhouse would be built in the yard, in front of one of the main rooms.

Jiang Li didn’t mention a bathhouse, only calling it the firewood room, and everyone understood.

Some wondered if three main rooms might be too large, but Jiang Li smiled and said, “Xiaoman and Aning will soon be in their teens. In a few years, if Xiaoman wants to marry, I won’t have money to build him a house. I’m planning for that now.”

The others smiled, “Madam Jiang, you really think ahead.”

Though Xiaoman and Aning looked small and thin, the siblings were already nine years old. In four or five years, according to local customs, Xiaoman would be of marriageable age.

But Jiang Li had no intention of letting them marry so young.

Understanding Jiang Li’s thoughts and the house layout, everyone began making mud bricks.

Xue Man and Aning wanted to help, but Jiang Li told them to stay home and watch the house. That house stored grain and meat. Grandma Zhao was busy, and with so many people around, some just there to watch the excitement, if something were stolen, there would be no way to find it.

Xue Man reluctantly agreed and obediently stayed home.

That evening, after the day’s work, everyone who helped build the house was asked what they had eaten.

Hearing that one person had eaten two thick slices of steamed meat with rice, the questioner’s eyes reddened.

Many families might not even have two slices of meat per person for New Year’s.

At the old Xue household, Xue Lao San had brought back a pound of meat. The old woman cut half of it and boiled all of it, then sliced it into small chunks.

The children, smelling the meat, refused to leave the house all day.

The adults were also left stomach-growling with hunger.

That night, everyone sat at the table. On it were only wild vegetable pancakes and wild vegetable soup.

But the soup contained two ladles of meat broth, with a thin layer of oil floating on top.

Everyone was seated when the old woman brought in the meat—but she didn’t place it on the table.

Holding chopsticks, she began distributing the meat. Xue Daniu received two pieces, each of the other boys one piece, and the girls received none.

The old woman’s voice was firm and unyielding: “I cut this pound of meat for Daniu. He gets two pieces, you get one each—fair, since you all benefit from him.”

No one disputed the old woman’s decision to give meat to the boys and not the girls.

But the second branch of the family had four children—three boys and one girl. The third branch had three children—two boys and one girl. The fourth branch had only one son and two daughters.

Now the son’s bowl held meat, while the two girls looked on longingly. Zhao Jiaxiu clenched her teeth in anger.

Xue Huai looked at his two longing sisters and tried to divide his small piece of meat into three parts to share with them. But the old woman lifted her eyelids and scolded sharply, “If you don’t want it, give it back. Girls don’t eat meat.”

Xue Huai stopped. Zhao Jiaxiu picked up those two small pieces from his bowl and fed them directly to her daughters. She quickly fed Xue Huai the remaining piece, then said, “Ah Huai, besides your parents, your two sisters are the closest to you. If you share your food with them, they will share with you. Love and mutual help among siblings—that’s what being a family means.”

Xue Huai nodded. Zhao Jiaxiu looked at Xue Chengwen, then cast a cold glare at the old woman.

“After this meal, our fourth branch will separate from the family. Mother, please count the money that’s been saved over the years and see what belongs to us.”

She was making a statement, not seeking permission.

The old woman angrily shouted, “Zhao, you’re turning the world upside down!”

Zhao Jiaxiu sneered, “Old woman, I can’t overturn the world, nor do I have such ambition. I just want my children to have enough to eat.”

Liu Chunhua gave Xue Chengxiang a look. Xue Chengxiang then said to Zhao Jiaxiu, “Fourth sister-in-law, you’re just a woman. Always talking about dividing the family. Any daughter-in-law like you would be sent away.”

Zhao Jiaxiu was so furious she almost jumped up, but Xue Chengwen held her back.

“Second brother, I’m the one who wants to divide this family. If you want to stay with Mother, fine. We fourth branch will go on our own.”

Xue Lao San and his wife exchanged glances, unclear about the situation, and lowered their heads in silence.

Xue Chengxiang, challenged by Xue Chengwen, shouted angrily, “With our eldest gone, I’m the head of this family. I’m in charge. This family doesn’t divide just because you say so.”

Xue Chengwen stared coldly at Xue Chengxiang, making his hair stand on end.

Then Xue Chengwen gave a disdainful smile.

“I accept that our eldest was in charge. He went to serve in the army, got his leg injured. Even with that injury, he worked hard both at home and in the fields, waking early and sleeping late. He couldn’t do carpentry but still helped cut bamboo and make bamboo strips. Every penny he earned was put back into this family.”

“You’re in charge? What kind of head are you? Lazy and cheating, lying in bed while Third Brother does all the fieldwork and I do all the carpentry. What kind of family head are you?”

Xue Chengxiang flushed with anger, jumped up, and overturned the bench. Glaring at Xue Chengwen, he yelled, “Xue Chengwen, how dare you!”

Xue Chengwen looked at him coldly, not taking his outburst seriously.

Xue Lao San’s face also darkened. He had kept quiet before, but after hearing this, he felt the injustice.

Everyone worked hard, turned in their money and grain. The old woman watched but clearly favored the second branch.

They could tolerate that, but even the children were treated unfairly.

“We want to divide too.”

When Xue Lao San spoke, the old woman’s hands trembled with rage.

“Xue Chengping, you want to divide too? You just scratch in the fields for food. If the harvest fails this year, you won’t even find shit to eat. And you want to divide?”

“Don’t you understand? That couple thinks they can make money on their own without relying on me. Can you?”